Network switches have been used to forward packets from one node to another node. Such network switch devices include a first network port for receiving packets from a first node, and a second network port for passing the packets to a second node.
Applicant of the subject application has determined that packet switch devices (appliances) can be used to forward a copy of packets (either obtained through a SPAN port of a switch or router, or by making a copy of each packet through its built-in tap modules) in the packet-switching network, to network monitoring or security tools for analysis thereby. Such packet switch appliances may have one or more network ports for connection to the packet-switching network and one or more instrument ports connected to one or more network instruments for monitoring packet traffic, such as packet sniffers, intrusion detection systems, application monitors, or forensic recorders.
Sometimes, the workload at a packet switch appliance may be too high, thereby negatively affecting a performance of the appliance. Therefore, Applicant of the subject application determines that it would be desirable to have a new system and method for stopping and starting a packet processing task based on a workload and/or a resource for a network switch appliance.